I belonged to a pregnancy forum many moons ago. One day, we were chatting about squatting as a way to prepare and help for birth. One of the moms shared an article called You Don't Know Squat. I read the article and was instantly hooked on the information. I shared it with my mom, my chiropractor, and other mothers to be. I read it over again and implemented what the author had to say. It was not an article about pregnancy, but it was so incredibly helpful.
I loved the author's style of writing, especially how blunt she wrote. She explained the moments in ways that made sense to me, but also made me remember the cues to getting correct form.
"If your tailbone is tucking when you sit back, it means that instead of peeing (or other things) in a downward motion, you are actually doing them in a forward motion. So that’s why you pee all over your shoes."
As someone who grew up in the woods, I knew the importance of not peeing on your shoes while off on a hike. This line stuck with me, and I always remember what I needed to do because I did not want to pee all over my shoes! I implemented her techniques and applied them.
Years later, I was still squatting but I had forgotten about the article and the author. Then one day my husband was listening to Joe Rogan. My husband loves Joe Rogan's podcast but I never really paid much attention. This day was different. The woman on the show was talking about posture, interacting with your natural environment, and the importance of moving while pregnant. It was a long podcast, but I enjoyed every moment of it.
Joe Rogan Experience #601 - Katy Bowman
After listening to this podcast, I went on to find more information about Katy Bowman. I quickly realized that this woman was the one who wrote that article I discovered a few years prior. I was so happy to be able to reconnect with this author and amazing woman.
I started listening to Katy Says, which is Katy Bowman's podcast. It has become what I listen to while I fold my laundry. It actually makes folding laundry enjoyable. I loved the information on biomechanics, the stretch breaks, and the way she approached the information.
Whole Body Barefoot - Review
After only a few podcast episodes, I decided I needed to buy her books. The first books I bought was Whole Body Barefoot.
I have always loved being barefoot. I have wide feet and I have never found shoes comfortable. In my teens and early twenties, I tried to be fashionable and often wore high heeled shoes. I am also only 5'5 and desperately wanted to be taller. But those shoes only made my feet hurt and, after many years of trying to ignore the pain, I decided it was not worth it.
I still have foot issues from those shoes. When I was 18 or so, I went to the doctors because my toes were numb. My doctor diagnosed me with a pinched nerve in my foot and told me to get orthotics. I did. The orthotics didn't work and only made my feet hurt more when I wasn't wearing them.
I have lived with the numb toes for years - I am now 33 and still get numb toes, especially if I wear certain shoes.
After reading Whole Body Barefoot, and implementing the stretches and exercises she recommends, I can say that my feet are already feeling so much better. I cannot wait to implement even more that she suggests in the book - like minimalist shoes and walking on natural terrain. I bought barefoot compliant sandals last year, and love them so much. This year I understand the importance of wearing shoes that work with you and not against you so I am on the hunt for a replacement for my running shoes and eventually my winter boots.
(I read the book in February, and there is over a foot of snow on the ground. My boots are anything but minimalist. They are clunky and have a narrow toe box, which bugs my feet. But I now know I need to change them next year).
One of my favourite exercises she discusses in the book is stretching your toes. Katy Bowman also discusses this in the Happy Foot blog post. By stretching the adductors, I feel like I am actually making progress on healing my feet. I quite often stick my fingers between my toes now, while sitting on the floor, but I may invest in some toe alignment socks to allow me to stretch my toes while my fingers are busy. I dream of the day when my foot numbness is gone, and I am willing to invest my money and time in healing my body instead of just masking the symptoms. I have seen so much improvement in only a few weeks and I cannot wait to see what time and more dedication to these movements make.
This is only one of the many stretches and exercises Katy offers in Whole Body Barefoot. I highly recommend buying this book. It is worth every penny.
Oh, and in case you were wondering...
My two births after implementing movements and exercises I found on www.nutritiousmovement.com, were much easier than my two births before I started squatting. Babies number 3 and 4 were both home water births, and both boys weighed over 11lbs when they were born.